Ruths Recompense, Commentary on Ruth · Chapter 1 · Verse 2
Verſe 2. And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two ſonnes, Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehem Iudah: and they came into the countrey of Moah, and continued there.
THe Hiſtoriographer goeth on with the former narration of the iourneying: firſt expreſſing by name the man, the wife & the ſons, ſhewing plainely who they were: then the finiſhing of their iourney: and thirdly, their aboade there. Into theſe three things this verſe diuideth it ſelfe, the declaration of their perſons what they were called, both in reſpect of their names, and place whence they came; the perfecting of their iourney, and their ſtay there.
And the name of the man was Elimelech.] By naming the parties, and not ſpeaking in generall, as before, the holy Ghoſt would hauehave notice taken of them, the better either to ſee their graces, or to diſcerne their wants, and ſo to hauehave a more certaine knowledge what to follow, or what to take heed of; for the knowledge of perſons maketh the things which they doe, either more or leſſe apparent to vsus. Elimelech ſignifieth The Lord my King: a man well deſcended, he was of the chiefeſt Tribe, to wit, of Iudah, a nigh kinſman vntounto Boaz the Lord of Bethlehem, and one of note, as appeareth by the article in the Hebrew, and in the Greeke Septuagint alſo, as likewiſe by the notice taken of Naomi his wife at her returne, ver. 19. yea he went out of Iudah without want, as may be noted from verſe 21. and as learned men from thence doe collect. And if ſo▪ his going away was more of feare to want, than preſent neceſſitie; which ſheweth his great weakeneſſe, worthy reproofe. See here a man well borne, of good meanes, of good note, and carrying a name of truſt in God, yet ſlipt through diſtruſt of Gods prouidence, & too much relying vponupon his owne deuiſed courſe, which yet failed him in the end. Great birth, good meanes, high name and fame ſaue not from falling either into ſinne, or outward miſery, if a better bleſsing than all theſe be not giuen men from God: and therefore not to reſt vponupon them.
And the name of his wife, Naomi.] Whoſe daughter this was, the Scripture recordeth not her name ſignifieth My pleaſantneſse, or ſweetneſse: as wiues ſhould be ſuch to their husbands, and ſo huſbands ſhould account them. Shee was faire, a wiſe woman, of great note in the Citie, and a very godly and meeke ſpirited woman, full of true louelove, patient in want, thankefull and humble: all which to be true, her words and deedes in this hiſtorie doe plainely ſhewe: So ſhe was faire inward and outward; an example and Lookingglaſſe for women, the gallant Dames, which would be Naomies for outward beauty, and brauery; but are foule Marahs for want of grace and true goodneſſe. Naomi is named before her children, both in the former, as a wife to Elimelech, and here as a Mother to them: and this reckoning of her name in this order, declareth her dignitie and place before them. Shee as a wife is to hauehave place next Elimelech the husband, who is to preferre wife before children, for ſhee is himſelfe, and as a mother to goe before them that be her children, who are to honour their parents.
And the name of his two ſonnes.] Why not her ſonnes? for ſhee was not their mother in law, but they were ſonnes borne of her body, verſe 11. But they are called his, for the more honour: For the father chefely giueth honour to the child.
Mahlon, and Chilion.] The former ſignifieth infirmitie, the latter finiſhed. Why ſo called, is not ſhewed, but they anſwer the euent of things; the firſt, his fathers infirmity, in going from among Gods people, to liue with Idolaters for preſeruation of his outward eſtate; and the other, his fathers death, being taken away in Moab, verſe 3. He was Mahlon in his leauing of Bethlehem, and Chilion in abyding in Moab. And here note in all theſe names, how ſignificant they be, which the Hebrewes did euer obſerue in naming their children, yea the Lord himſelfe in giuing a name to any one; as in calling Abram, Abraham, Sarai, Sarah: which is of vsus to be imitated, thereby expreſſing our faith and grace towards God, and admoniſhing them of ſome duety. True it is, that good names hauehave no vertue in them to make men better, nor names without ſignification, to make any worſe; yet for reuerence to our holy profeſſion, and that bleſſed Sacrament of Baptiſme, at which time names be giuen, and in imitation of the godly in Scripture, yea of God himſelfe, who called his firſt Sonne of men, Adam, and his bleſſed holy One, Ieſus, by the Meſſage of an Angel; let vsus giuegive our children good names, ſignificant, and comely, not abſurd, ridiculous and impious, as ſome hauehave done, out of the ſpirit of prophaneneſſe.
Ephrathites of Bethlehem Iudah.] So termed, becauſe Bethlehem was called Ephrate, Gen. 35. 19. or for that the Countrey where Bethlehem ſtood, was ſo called, as may appeare in Mich. 5. 2. and Iudah is added not onelyonly for a diſtinction of this Bethlehem, from the other in Zabulon, but for to make a difference of the Ephrathites here, from other in the tribe of Ephraim; for Ieroboam is called an Ephrathite, 1. King. 11. 26. By which wee ſee how carefull the holy Ghoſt is to make cleare the Hiſtory, and to free it from ambiguity of ſpeech that the truth might better appeare, and not be miſtaken. The Penmen of this and other diuine Hiſtories are Faithfull Hiſtorians: and ſuch ſhould others be, and not full of fables, falſhood and deceit, written through feare, or fauour, or ill will.
And they came into the Countrey of Moah.] So they finiſhed their iourney. Howſoeuer the Man might doe amiſſe in leauing Iſrael for Moab, the Land of the liuing, for a dead Nation; yet it pleaſed the Lord to ſpeede his iourney, to bring to paſſe, what he had intended for the conuerſion of Ruth, to make her a mother in Iſrael: whence we ſee, that God intending good to ſome, in his ſecret counſel, may proſper that, which others vndertake, with no good warrant. Thus ſhall Nebuchadnezzar proſper againſt Ieruſalem; Iacobs ſonnes act, in ſelling Ioſeph their brother; yea the enemies of Chriſt to put him to death, as God had determined, Act. 4. For the Lord can worke good out of euill, and can vſe ill inſtruments to good purpoſes: And therefore ſimply for the good iſſue, which God maketh, we are not to approue of either the matter in hand, or the mindes of men, which God vſeth therein, as is apparent in the former examples: for Gods will and worke was one thing, but theirs another: hee is to be praiſed, but they are to be reproued. The word Countrey, foreign Gen. 2. 5. Num. 20. 17. Pro. 24. 3. Septu. foreign.may be alſo tranſalted, the field, as in the Originall it is often vſed; and hence ſome coniecture that Elimelech went not into the Cities of the Moabites, but dwelt in Tents, as did Abraham, Iſaac, and Iacob, and not in the Cities of the Canaanites. If men liue where Idolaters be, it is good to auoid the occaſion of infection as much as may be. For much conuerſing breedeth familiarity: this, louelove of their perſons, & ſo a liking of their waies, with neglect of true Religion at the firſt, but it falleth into contempt at laſt. It is rare to bee a righteous hearted Lot in Sodom, he was but one, and one alone; Iſraelites became Idolaters in Egypt. This is it which made the Lord forbid communion and marriages to them, with the Canaanites, leſt they ſhould learne their wayes. Let vsus therefore take heede of conuerſing with the wicked, and with idolatrous people: It is good that idle Trauellers ſhould conſider well hereof.
And continued there.] So then they had no repulſe, but were allowed to dwell there, and that for a long time, as the words in verſe 4. doe ſhew: yet theſe Moabites were formerly hard-hearted enough, Deut. 23. 3. but by this we ſee, that none are ſo churliſh and vnkinde at one time to ſome, but God can incline their hearts at another time to other ſome. The Hiſtory of Heathen Emperours manifeſteth the truth of this towards Chriſtians; and the Story of the Iſraelites, comming forth of Egypt: for mens hearts, yea the hearts of Kings, are in the Lords hands, to turne them towards whom he pleaſeth, as Nehemiah knew well, whichNehemiah 1. made him to pray: and Iacob alſo, when he feared the comming of Eſau. When wee hauehave to doe with ill and dogged natured men, let vsus goe to God, who can turne Eſaus bloody heart, in his comming foorth, into a kind welcomming of his brother at their meeting; he can incline Aſſuerus heart towards Eſter, to make him hold out to her the golden Scepter. Conſider the promiſe, Ier. 15 11. and 42. 12. & let vsus ſeeke to pleaſe God, and hee will worke vsus fauour in the eyes of men, Pro. 16. 7. and Iob 5. 23. let this be our comfort. It may further ſeeme by the courſe of this Story, that theſe Bethlehemites were not onelyonly ſuffred to dwell among the Moabites, but alſo that they were kindly vſed, in that they would be content to marry with them, which is a commendation to them, that would thus welcome ſuch, as came among them for ſuccour. It is a matter praiſe-worthy to be harberſome to ſtrangers; for this were the Barbarians commended, Act. 28. 2, 7, 10. who receiued the Apoſtle and the reſt into their houſes, made them fires becauſe of the cold and raine in Winter, courteouſly lodged them, and when they departed, being ſuch as had ſuffered ſhipwracke, and were thereby in want, thoſe Barbarians helped them with neceſſaries. This was humanity and mercy; For this, Abraham, and Lot, and Iob are commended; and this goodneſſe wee muſt learne to practiſe, for ſo are wee exhorted, Heb. 13. 2 and theſe former examples lead vsus to it. This qutie is to be done, not onelyonly to our kindred, to our friends, to our knowne countreymen, but to ſtrangers, Heb. 13. 2. yea and to our enemies in their neede, 2. Kings 6. 23. Romanes 12. 20.